Diesel Increase Slows; Rises Half a Cent to $3.074
Diesel’s price increase slowed following two big gains in the past two weeks, with the national average price rising half a cent to $3.074 a gallon, the Department of Energy reported.
The 0.5-cent uptick followed increases of 5.4 cents last week and 7.6 cents two weeks ago, according to DOE records.
Diesel is now 85.3 cents higher than the same week last year, DOE said following its weekly survey of filling stations Monday.
Gasoline’s increase also slowed, with the motor fuel posting a 0.2-cent gain to $2.86 a gallon, leaving it 80.1 cents over this time last year, DOE said.
Both fuels have risen for three straight weeks and eight of the past nine, with diesel gaining 31.8 cents and gas up 25.2 cents since Feb. 15.
Oil fell for the third straight trading session Monday, declining $1.79 to $81.45 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, Bloomberg reported.
The price has fallen more than $5 since closing at an 18-month high on the Nymex of $86.84 on April 6, according to Bloomberg records.
Each week, DOE surveys about 350 diesel filling stations to compile a national snapshot average price.
